A thoroughly authentic Hungarian Goulash recipe with a depth and richness of flavor that will satisfy both body and soul and transport you back to Hungary! Hungary’s national dish, the depth and richness of this traditional gulyás is simply out-of-this-world delicious!
For more traditional Hungarian dishes be sure to also try our Chicken Paprikash, Pörkolt, and Szegedin Goulash!
Traditional Hungarian goulash is a prime example of how a few simple ingredients, cooked properly, can yield an incredible flavor. Though many variations of Hungarian goulash exist, and every cook makes it just a bit differently, this is an authentic recipe from the heart of Hungary.
Hungary holds a special place in my heart and in my family’s hearts. My brother lived there for a couple of years and would always describe its beautiful scenery and architecture and his love for the Hungarian people. When I visited Budapest for the first time I immediately fell in love with it. Its name comes from the two sides of the city (Buda and Pest) separated by the Danube River running through it. With its striking chain bridge, stunning parliament building, and its incredible Buda Castle, Budapest is a breathtaking city.
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Hungary’s history has been one of hardship and heartbreak. But the passion and stamina of soul has remained in the hearts of the Hungarian people. I’ve always been touched by Hungary’s national anthem, Himnusz, or “hymn”, written by the poet Kölcsey. Their anthem is a poetic prayer and unlike most anthems that focus on an expression of national pride, the Hungarian anthem is a direct, heartfelt plea to God. In the mid-20th century, during the years of strongest communist rule in Hungary, the words were not sung, only the music was played. The communist government asked two of the most acclaimed artists of that time, a poet and composer, to rewrite the national anthem. Both refused. The next communist leader also tried, unsuccessfully, to have it changed. And so Hungary’s national anthem remains Himnusz and its first three lines read:
O God, bless the nation of Hungary
With your grace and bounty
Extend over it your guarding arm
I also love Hungarian food. Their breads and smoked sausages are fantastic as are their meats, stews, sauces, and desserts. Today I’m going to share the national dish of Hungary: Goulash.
What is Hungarian Goulash?
Contrary to popular belief here in the U.S., Hungarian goulash is NOT made with ground beef or macaroni noodles! Traditional Hungarian goulash is an entirely different dish.
Goulash, or as Hungarians call it, gulyás, means “herdsman.” Its origins date back to the 9th century Magyar shepherds as a simple meat and onion stew prepared in heavy iron kettles known as bogracs. In the 15th century invading Ottoman Turks introduced a new spice to Hungary, paprika. While the rest of Europe remained lukewarm towards this red chili pepper from the New World, Hungary embraced it and paprika has since become a defining element of Hungarian cuisine.
Goulash is kind of in between a soup and a stew. Unlike some stews, Goulash is not overly packed full of beef and vegetables, it is a little more brothy. But through the cooking process, the broth becomes a little thicker and very rich in flavor.
Tips for Authentic Hungarian Goulash
To achieve the ultimate flavor, the cooking method is important and quality, real Hungarian paprika is essential. And lots of it! None of this “2 teaspoons of paprika” jazz. Hungarians use very generous amounts of paprika, and that’s key. A Hungarian once told me, “however much paprika the recipe calls for – at least double or triple it!”
For this size batch of Goulash, you want to use a full 1/4 cup of it. When I lived in Germany, Hungary was just a few hours away and I would stock up on it when I visited. Now I order it online and recommend this genuine imported Hungarian paprika imported from Hungary. There is no comparison in flavor. It has an extraordinarily rich flavor and an exceptionally vibrant red color. Many of our readers have tried it and agree that quality Hungarian-imported paprika makes all the difference.
I mentioned earlier, many variations of goulash exist. Some include turnip or wine or caraway seeds, to name a few. But this recipe is a very old, very traditional way of making Goulash that my brother and I learned from older generations of Hungarian women and it needs no embellishments. It’s simple and simply delicious!
Hungarian Goulash Recipe
Let’s get started!
Melt the lard or butter/oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy soup pot over medium high heat and cook the onions until beginning to brown, about 7-10 minutes. Add the beef and cook until the beef is just starting to brown, 7-10 minutes.
Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, and garlic and cook for another 6-8 minutes. (Note about peppers: Outside of Hungary it’s very difficult to find the peppers they use there. The best ones to use in their place are red and some yellow/orange. Avoid regular green bell peppers as they have a starkly different flavor profile.)
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the paprika, salt, pepper and caraway (if using) (note: paprika becomes bitter if at all scorched).
Add the beef broth, bay leaf, return to the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Add the carrots, tomatoes and potatoes. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for another 30-40 minutes or until the beef is nice and tender. Add salt to taste. Remove the bay leaf.
Serve with some crusty bread and, if desired, a dollop of sour cream.
Enjoy!
For more authentic Hungarian dishes, be sure to try our:
Authentic Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons pork lard , or butter or bacon grease (pork lard is traditionally used and imparts a great flavor)
- 1 1/2 pounds yellow onions chopped
- 1/4 cup quality genuine imported Hungarian sweet paprika
- 1 1/2 pounds stewing beef , cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 5 cloves garlic ,minced
- 2 red bell peppers ,seeded/membranes removed, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 yellow bell pepper ,seeded/membranes removed, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 2 tomatoes ,diced
- 2 carrots ,diced
- 2 medium potatoes ,cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 5 cups beef broth (traditionally just water is used but beef broth adds so much more flavor)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds (optional, not traditional in all regions)
Instructions
- Melt the pork lard or butter/oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy soup pot over medium high heat and cook the onions until beginning to brown, about 7-10 minutes. Add the beef and cook until the beef is just starting to brown, 7-10 minutes. Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, and garlic and cook for another 6-8 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the paprika, salt, pepper and caraway (if using) (note: paprika becomes bitter if at all scorched). Add the beef broth, bay leaf, return to the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for another 30-40 minutes or until the beef is nice and tender. Add salt to taste. Remove the bay leaf.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on March 18, 2014
Chloe Toth says
This is really an exquisite authentic Hungarian goulash, not the “fake” goulash versions that I see everywhere out there. This is like my Hungarian grandmother used to make it. She immigrated with her parents from Hungary as a teenager.
Kimberly Killebrew says
Thank you so much for the feedback and compliment, Chloe, I appreciate it!
Judy Tilgard says
This took us right back to our trip to Budapest last fall. I had brought back paprika with me and I am so glad I was able to put it to good use making this goulash. I can vouch for the authenticity of this recipe, it tastes just like we had it in Hungary. It is so delicious and it tasted even better the next day as leftovers.
Kimberly Killebrew says
Thank you so much, Judy, I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Pete says
Personal preference I suppose, but to me, the proportion of veggies to meat is way off in this recipe. It resembles a vegetable soup more than goulash. Next time I make it, I will only use half the amount of veggies, and half the amount of beef broth as well.
Kimberly Killebrew says
Hi Pete, yes that’s a correct description – traditional Hungarian goulash is more of a vegetable soup with beef. German goulash on the other hand is far more beef-centric and more stew-like (thicker) versus soup-like. Here is my recipe for German goulash which may be more of what you have in mind: https://www.daringgourmet.com/german-goulash-rindergulasch/
Suzie says
Absolutely delicious! We visited Budapest in October, and we brought home some Hungarian paprika. This was the first recipe where I used it, and it was the perfect meal to cook on a cold and snowy day. It was the ultimate comfort food, and we were absolutely thrilled with how it came out. I did serve it with a dollop of sour cream and parsley, and the crusty bread was perfect for dipping. My husband has requested that I make this authentic goulash again. Thank you for the inspiration!
Kimberly Killebrew says
Oh I’m so happy you both enjoyed it, Suzie, thank you very much for the feedback! <3
Delma Mindel says
I am half Hungarian and have the good fortune to have my mother’s Hungarian recipe book, from the Dorcas Guild in Toledo, Ohio. I’ve made “Gulyas leves” close to a million times, well, maybe a 100, and it is superb! I’m always pleased to find another recipe that has “high Hungarian” ingredients like the peppers, tomatoes, and a more expensive grade of beef. One thing that’s missing from this recipe, and I always include it, is the egg dumplings, which really makes this dish hearty. Here is the traditional dumpling recipe, easy-peasy: 1 egg, 6 Tbsp. of flour, 1/8 tsp. salt. Add flour to beaten egg and salt, mix well. Let stand for 1/2 hour. Drop by teaspoonsful into Gulyas Soup. Simmer 5 minutes after dumplings rise to surface. Serve hot. This soup is better the second day!
Eric Bartock says
I recently discovered my Hungarian ancestry and have been trying my hand at cooking some Hungarian dishes. I have never had goulash, so I do not have a frame of reference as to how it should taste. I tried this recipe. The broth had more of a vegetable (almost V8) flavor than a beef flavor. The travel videos I saw of goulash in Hungary had a much clearer broth that looked like it had more of a beef flavor. I added some more beef broth after cooking as well as some more paprika. That improved the taste.